KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A line was forming on East Meyer Boulevard by 7:30 a.m. on Friday in anticipation of Unity Southeast's Friday Food Drive.
The church receives donations from the community and Harvesters for the event every fourth Friday of the month.
It's giving people like Cynthia Hylton a reason to smile.
"It’s means a lot to me," Hylton said. "Food is so high nowadays, and, you know, even though I get, you know, a little help with the food stamps, still a little extra help always works."
Reverend Randy Fikki is the man behind it.
"This all started with 25 paper bag lunches on Fridays," Fikki said. "We would give it to the students as they were coming out of Southeast High School."
Now, Fikki said they prepared to give away close to 35,000 pounds of food on this Friday.
It's something close to his heart, because he knows how it feels to need help.
"I remember being a young kid coming from a foreign country coming to Kansas City, and I remember the few people who chipped in and help, and made my life easier and my family’s life easier, and I remember as a kid saying, 'One day I’m gonna do that for someone else,'" Fikki said.
But the reverend credits the volunteers as the people who really make it happen. Some are part of the church, like Pam Threatt.
"This is community," Threatt said. "This is what community looks like."
Others are just wanting to help out, like Rhonda Peterson.
"It gives you a sense of of joy and purpose, and just serving in ways that are purposeful," Peterson said.
They're not just giving out food, but hope, as well. It's seen on the smiles and sighs of relief of the people receiving food.
"Then I don’t have to worry for a few days on what I can eat," Cynthia Wigham said. "Most the time they give us something that really stretches us."
To learn more about the food drive and how you can get involved, contact Unity Southeast.
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